


curses at tea time

by kaythebest



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: M/M, Magic, Meet-Cute, Shenanigans, witch kyungsoo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-29
Updated: 2017-12-29
Packaged: 2019-02-23 16:45:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13194327
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaythebest/pseuds/kaythebest
Summary: "Kyungsoo only does consultations for abolishing curses and dark magic.""Oh, I'm very cursed," the man answer soberly. "Horribly cursed. I've got this awful rash all over--""Kyungsoo," the Master calls. "A customer."





	curses at tea time

**Author's Note:**

  * For [jumpthisship](https://archiveofourown.org/users/jumpthisship/gifts).



> this is just a drabble, and only kind of edited, and also one of my first times writing chansoo  
> but becca is so good to me and we both like magical boys

The bell above the door chimes, sweet. "Hello."

Kyungsoo looks up from where he's organizing the shelf of old, dusty texts and sees a giant in the doorway. Not an actual giant, because the last time one of them tried to fit through the door things went sideways almost immediately, but a man too tall for his own good. The customer is all limbS, with hair dyed a dark chocolate brown and ears that Kyungsoo would think were enchanted for sonar if it weren't for the fact that he can't sense any magic from this man at all.

He's pretty, Kyungsoo will give him that.

He goes back to his work.

"Can I help you?" asks Kyungsoo's Master, the store owner. He's an old man, well past his prime, a bit hard of hearing, with wild hair and an obsessive compulsive need for everything to be in proper order. Kyungsoo has smelled like Windex since he first began working here, years ago. Windex solves more problems than most magics.

The customer clears his throat after standing in the doorway for an awkward amount of time and makes his way to the register. "I, uh, yes." He taps his fingers incessantly on the glass. Kyungsoo hears the pitter pat and sighs, knowing he'll be tasked with cleaning it as soon as the man leaves. "I'd like...a, uh, consultation?"

The Master hums, setting his quill aside. Kyungsoo has never seen anyone use quills except for him, and it took two years of painstakingly writing prices and purchases into a yellowed leather journal before Kyungsoo convinced him to get a computer. "What sort of consultation are you looking for? I have some spare time."

They're a small shop on a corner that can only be found on Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and sometimes Fridays, if the weather is right. They're not usually crawling with customers. The only people who stop by are regulars who have bought a membership, but Kyungsoo has never seen this man in his life.

"I was, um." The customer's mouth opens oddly and shuts with a click as he collects his thoughts. "No need to trouble yourself. I'm willing just to, uh, talk to your apprentice."

Kyungsoo bristles. _Apprentice!_ He's been a fully certified witch for over a year now. He's the only reason this silly shop is still running, when he's not mopping the floor for the fiftieth time. Who is this man to call him an apprentice? Doesn't he understand robes? The dark purple hem on his cloak should be enough of an indicator of his status.

This man should be _honored_ to get a consultation with Kyungsoo, damnit.

Alas. "Kyungsoo only does consultations for abolishing curses and dark magic," the Master tells the customer. Dark magic is Kyungsoo's reluctant secondary. There are very few people who are qualified to handle botched cursework, and the consequences of dark spells gone horribly wrong, and Kyungsoo isn't a fool. He went where the money was.

His primary is in green magic, which is the exact opposite of dark magic in most ways. Kyungsoo is an unusual witch.

Flowers don't pay quite as well.

"Oh." Kyungsoo looks idly over his shoulder as the customer bumbles. "I, ah...I am cursed."

Kyungsoo snorts so hard dust flies off of the cover of _Folklore and Puberty_.

The Master peers at the man. "You don't look cursed."

"Oh, I'm very cursed," he answer soberly. "Horribly cursed. I've got this awful rash all over--"

"Kyungsoo," the Master calls. "A customer."

With a sigh, Kyungsoo sets the rest of the tomes on an empty table and walks over. "How can I help you?" He'll do almost anything to avoid the bookshelf for as long as possible. Some of the texts bite something wicked. He's already nursing a sore thumb from a vengeful pocket watch two days ago.

The man is even more of a giant up close. Kyungsoo isn't short, regardless of what the new apprentice Sehun might say, but he's not tall either, and this customer is much larger than most. He wonders if the man's face is normally so rosy or if he's embarrassed because of his made up rash.

"He's cursed," the Master drolls, taking up his quill again. "That's you're area of expertise, I believe."

Kyungsoo runs a hand over the shaved sides of his head. "Sure is." He blows some of the dark red mess of his bangs out of his eyes. Baekhyun had told him to be more exciting and this is what he went with, but he this close just to shaving everything off. It worked for the military men for centuries. He brushes dust off the black of his robe and nods his head towards the blue curtain. "This way."

"We charge by the half hour," the Master calls behind them as Kyungsoo leads the customer deeper into the store.

Kyungsoo has worked here for years and somehow he's not important enough to have his own workshop, but there's a small room in the back for consultations and the Master has none scheduled today. There's a nice window there. Kyungsoo likes it.

"What's your name?" he asks, leading the man inside. There's a small garden sitting on the window sill, and Kyungsoo sticks his fingers in the dirt to see how they're feeling. They greet him kindly, as always, and giggle when he smiles at them.

The costumer stares dumbly for a moment before Kyungsoo realizes he's still smiling and schools his face into something more professional. "Ah, I'm Chanyeol."

"Chanyeol." Kyungsoo gestures towards one of the large, gaudy, purple chairs, and Chanyeol gratefully takes a seat. "I'm Kyungsoo."

"I...yes." Chanyeol scratches his neck.

Kyungsoo grins mercilessly. "I hear you have a rash."

Chanyeol's ears turn bright red. Maybe they'd be better enchanted into beacons, rather than for sonar. "I, uh, just remembered. It's something else." He plays with the hem of his plaid scarf, dusty from where it's brushed up against the shelves.

"You don't have an evil rash?" Kyungsoo settles back into his own chair.

"I...do not." Chanyeol grimaces, picking lint from the scarf like it will buy him more time. "I have an evil...music box?" A question.

Kyungsoo stifles a laugh. "You have an evil music box?"

"Yeah, it's awful. It, uh...sings horribly off-key."

He hums. "I see. That is the worst."

It's pretty weak for a curse. It could just be a dented music box. Chanyeol pauses, gears turning, and Kyungsoo calls for tea to sip as he waits to see what will happen next.

Chanyeol opens his mouth. "There's...blood?"

Kyungsoo blinks. "Blood?"

"Daemon blood," Chanyeol continues firmly. "Spewing everywhere. Any time it plays a Bb."

"Unfortunate." A tray floats in with two tea cups, and Kyungsoo takes one gratefully, plopping in a sugar cube and stirring with his small silver spoon. Chanyeol stares at the hovering tray warily. "That sounds an awful lot like a curse I took care of about a month ago." His name had been Kris. It turns out the music box was just angry at him.

Chanyeol takes his tea and looks at Kyungsoo innocently as he pours in slightly too much cream.

"Do you have the music box with you?"

"With me?" Chanyeol repeats, stirring too long. "The music box?"

"The evil music box," Kyungsoo clarifies, just in case Chanyeol thinks they're talking about a different one. "That plays off key and spews daemon blood."

"Right, that one." Chanyeol takes a long sip of his tea and barely notices it's more milk than anything. "I. I'm afraid I lost it."

Kyungsoo smiles gently. "You do know I get paid by the half hour, right?"

Chanyeol frowns. "What do you mean?"

"If you could keep making shit up for another 40 minutes, I'll be forever in your debt." Kyungsoo plops in another sugar cube and grins at Chanyeol as he drinks.

Chanyeol pauses, licking cream off of his upper lip. "In my debt enough to go get coffee with me?"

Kyungsoo raises an eyebrow. "Don't like tea?"

"I hate tea," Chanyeol says, shoulders slumping with relief. "Do you like tea?"

Kyungsoo takes a quiet sip as an answer.

"We can go get tea," Chanyeol offers.

"Does that count as another consultation?"

"I'm not made of money," Chanyeol says after a moment, laughing. He has a loud, obnoxious laugh. Kyungsoo could like it. "I work at the pet store across the street, but it's only there on Fridays and Wednesdays, so we don't cross paths very often. Other days we're nestled in the middle of Fifth Street."

Kyungsoo frowns. "Are you the guy that walks the hellhounds?" He's seen someone lugging two or three of them down the street with questionable success. He's never paid much attention, not when there's work to be done. He can't imagine wrestling with beasts so large.

Chanyeol shrugs. "I like big dogs."

"They breathe _fire_."

"But other than that they're really cute!" Chanyeol pulls out his phone. "Look! I have pictures. Lucy is my favorite."

It's a picture of Chanyeol holding up his hoodie, burnt black, with an enormous, manic grin. A gray dog, 10 feet tall, is sitting obediently at the side, tongue hanging out of her mouth. Lucy is very cute for a hellhound.

"I see you tending the books," Chanyeol continues, when he takes his phone back. "But you never talk to anyone. Or, like, go outside."

"Don't want any hellhounds to singe my hoodie beyond repair," Kyungsoo remarks drily, and Chanyeol just smiles at him.

"Don't worry! I'll make sure they don't." He clears his throat. "I mean, if you ever like, wanted to go outside. With me. Go outside with me specifically."

"For tea," Kyungsoo finishes.

"Or, you know, anything." Chanyeol looks awkwardly into his teacup. "A movie, or something."

"Is this a curse consultation or an excuse to ask me on a date?" Just to be clear.

Chanyeol sighs, setting his cup down on the table between them. "It is very much an excuse to ask you on a date."

The flowers cheer from the window sill.

"I'm sorry I don't have an evil rash," Chanyeol adds.

"Me too." Kyungsoo laughs, and Chanyeol's ears turn a bit pinker. "That'd be one of the more interesting things I've taken care of all day."

"I'll...go get one?" Chanyeol frowns.

"Don't bother." Kyungsoo sets down his cup and stands, stretching a bit. He smiles. "Coffee will do me just fine."


End file.
